Los Angeles-based engineering giant AECOM on Monday announced that it has promoted former Department of Energy official Mark Whitney to lead its nuclear and environment business unit, filling the slot vacated by Todd Wright.
Wright recently retired as executive vice president and general manager of the AECOM branch, but is staying on at the company in a senior role focused on major business development and corporate governance in the nuclear sector.
Whitney became the new general manager and executive vice president for the business effective Monday. He will run daily operations and support AECOM efforts for the Energy Department, the United Kingdom’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and other clients.
Prior to joining AECOM almost two years ago, Whitney spent over a decade at the Energy Department, where he served in leadership posts including principal deputy assistant secretary and acting assistant secretary for the Office of Environmental Management and manager of the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management in Tennessee. During his government tenure, Whitney also worked at DOE’s semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration, including as acting principal assistant deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation.
“Mark Whitney’s experience as our nuclear and environment chief operating office and his previous role with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will allow us to continue the strong momentum we have developed in the government and commercial nuclear market,” John Vollmer, president of AECOM’s Management Services group, said in a press release. Management Services is the unit that includes AECOM’s Department of Energy business.
The international infrastructure firm is currently leading DOE contractor teams on liquid waste management at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina and operation of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico.
